Christmas and New Years

Christmas has come and gone and so has the year 2016.  It's unbelievable how each year goes by faster and faster. 

The month of December was all about preparing for Christmas.  We waited longer than usual to decorate the house but when we did it looked great. 

"Look I'm the Princess of Christmas Spirit"

We added a train to the Christmas decor.  Unfortunately it didn't always stay on the track.  We allow our rabbit to hang out with us in the living room and she liked pushing the cars off the track and sometimes picking them up with her mouth and tossing them into the air.

The kids loved decorating ginger bread houses. 

Our son has been learning to play the recorder at school and they put on a Christmas concert.  He and the other third graders did well.  I never learned how to read music so it makes me so happy to see my son learning and doing very amazing with it. 

During the concert they asked all the younger students in the audience to come up and sing the Christmas songs they had learned in music class.  That was a nice surprise. 

We took the kids to Bass Pro Shop in Harrisburg.  I was always told that they had a great Santa there and they gave you a free picture.  So many Santa's don't allow you to take your own photo and they charge so much for theirs.  They also had lots of activities for the kids.  It was great.  We are definitely doing it again next year ... wait, I should say this year.  Ha. 

This picture was taken before heading to church for the Christmas Eve candlelight service.  Aren't they adorable? 

The kids did well for Christmas.  My daughter asked Santa for lip balm.  Yes, that's my girl.  She saw that lip balm in the shape of an egg and that's all she was asking for since.  So Santa delivered ... three of them.  She was so happy.  My son wanted Pokemon and yes he got that too.  Plus, they both received lots of other things from us.  They seemed very happy.  I took a lot of pictures but don't want to post them all. 

We went to dinner at my father-in-law's house.  While we were there my son started feeling sick and he threw up once.  Thankfully it was only that once but he spent the next day laying around with a stomach ache.  Then the day after my daughter started developing a head cold and she was sick the entire vacation.  It was so unfortunate.  So for the entire vacation she spent most of the time on the couch relaxing and coughing.  I felt so bad for her.  What a vacation. 

Today the routine is back to normal.  Even though my daughter woke up coughing she wanted to go to school.  I'm so proud of her for wanting to go.  She's been having a rough time lately.  Sometimes I get calls from the nurse that she wasn't feeling well but I know she wasn't being serious, just looking for a way to go home.  So for her to decide to go to school instead of staying home is impressive.  My husband is back to work after taking his usual vacation between Christmas and New Years. 

Well, I guess that sums up Christmas.  It wasn't much.  Just laid back.  Wishing you all a Happy New Year.  I really do hope and pray that 2017 is a great one for you!!!!